Jaipur, May 1, 2026:
In a major push to strengthen rural entrepreneurship and position India as a global hub for skilled talent, Jayant Chaudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Government of India, today launched the National Entrepreneurs Empowerment Drive (NEED) from Jaipur Rajasthan. Hon’ble Minister also witnessed the exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of the Skill India International Centre (SIIC), Jaipur.
The MoU signing ceremony for the Foreign Language Communication Skill Program was organised by the Department of Higher & Technical Education and Department of Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship, Government of Rajasthan, in the presence of Shri Bhajan Lal Sharma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Rajasthan, and Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Minister of Education, Government of India.
Supported by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), these initiatives aim to build scalable rural enterprise ecosystems while creating structured pathways for international workforce mobility.
The MoU for SIIC, Jaipur was exchanged between Shri Arunkumar Pillai, CEO, NSDC, and Shri Rishav Mandal, IAS, Commissioner of the Department of Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship, Government of Rajasthan, and Managing Director, Rajasthan Skill and Livelihoods Development Corporation (RSLDC), in the presence of senior dignitaries, government officials and industry leaders.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Jayant Chaudhary said, “India’s youth are not looking for limited opportunities; they are looking for platforms that recognise their talent, aspirations and potential. Through initiatives like NEED and Skill India International Centres, we are creating pathways where a young person from a village or small town can become an entrepreneur in their own community or access opportunities in the global workforce with confidence and dignity. Our focus is to build an ecosystem where skills lead not just to employment, but to economic mobility, resilience and long-term empowerment. This is central to our vision of a future-ready and self-reliant Viksit Bharat.”
A key strength of NEED lies in its robust industry-led partnership ecosystem, bringing together leading enterprises and innovation-driven organisations including PC Jeweller, DeHaat, Patanjali, EaseMyTrip, Innovatiview Limited, OSM EV, HKI Media, AVPL International, Himalayan Solar, Naturals Salons, Techsmart, Vidysea, SN Capital, Ferns N Petals–Touchwood, WeVOIS Labs, Startup Stairs, SVS and Bhagwa Ontech. These partners will play a critical role in enabling first-generation entrepreneurs through standardized business models, technology integration, branding, mentorship, supply chain support and assured market access, thereby building scalable, sustainable and market-linked rural enterprises across the country.
Simultaneously, the establishment of Skill India International Centre (SIIC), Jaipur marks a significant milestone in India’s international skilling and workforce mobility strategy of MSDE. Conceived as an integrated one-stop hub for overseas employment preparation, SIIC Jaipur will provide internationally benchmarked skill training, language proficiency programmes, trade testing, counselling, placement facilitation, migration support and pre-departure orientation training for global employment opportunities.
The centre will offer sector-focused training aligned to global demand in areas such as healthcare, construction, hospitality and technical trades. Special emphasis will be placed on language training in Japanese, German and English, alongside workplace readiness and cultural orientation. Sector-specific training will include GCC-focused trades such as Electrical Technician, HVAC Technician and Plumbing Technician, as well as caregiver and healthcare support roles. A satellite training facility at ITI Vidhyadhar Nagar will further support advanced construction trade skilling, including scaffolding, masonry, tiling, rigging and advanced welding.
The SIIC Jaipur initiative has been conceptualised in partnership with the Government of Rajasthan and will be housed at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Governance and Social Sciences (MGIGSS), Jaipur. Rajasthan was strategically identified owing to its strong migration potential, large semi-skilled workforce base, robust ITI ecosystem and growing alignment with international labour demand corridors across GCC nations, Germany, Japan and Israel.
